Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Ben Sasse issues warning to Senate: ‘The people despise us’
The freshman senator who proposed moving the Capitol to Nebraska during last year's campaign says now that he's gotten to Washington, he's more convinced than ever that the Senate is broken and both parties are to blame. Published November 3, 2015
More than 350 languages spoken in U.S.; 54 percent of Los Angeles shuns English at home
Those who speak Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese at home are less proficient in English than Spanish-speakers according to striking findings the Census Bureau released Tuesday that suggest some Asians may have a tougher time mastering English than Hispanics. Published November 3, 2015
Investigation: Layers of TSA airport security ‘simply missing’
Airlines' checked-baggage fees are pushing more travelers to carry their bags onto airplanes, making it even tougher for TSA screeners to try to spot potential security threats, the agency's chief told Congress on Tuesday. Published November 3, 2015
Ross Mirkarimi, San Francisco sheriff, up for re-election amid sanctuary city controversy
The San Francisco sheriff whose sanctuary city policy has been blamed for the July death of Kathryn Steinle at the hands of an illegal immigrant is up for re-election Tuesday, and he's facing a stiff challenge as residents grapple with immigration policy and local policing. Published November 2, 2015
Ted Cruz: Next president will get do-over on IRS-tea party investigation
Already planning for a GOP president in 2017, Sen. Ted Cruz sent a letter Monday demanding that the Justice Department preserve all documents from its completed investigation into the IRS's tea party targeting, saying too many questions still remain. Published November 2, 2015
Pentagon offers no answers on $43 million price tag for Afghanistan gas station
The Defense Department spent $43 million on a compressed natural gas fueling station in Afghanistan, while a similar project in Pakistan cost just $300,000 -- and now the Pentagon can't even account for who made the decisions behind the waste, according to an inspector general's report being released Monday. Published November 2, 2015
Feds say 179,027 criminal illegals are loose on U.S. streets
Nearly 1 million immigrants have been ordered deported but still roam free in the U.S., including nearly 180,000 who have been convicted of crimes here, the Homeland Security Department said in information released Friday by the Senate immigration subcommittee. Published October 30, 2015
Hillary Clinton’s emails show paranoia about GOP
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's paranoia about Republicans permeates her emails, where even a common error message on an undelivered email prompted her to speculated -- presumably jokingly -- that the "neocons" must be reading her mail. Published October 30, 2015
Hispanics question Hillary Clinton after flip-flop on licenses for illegal immigrants
At least one Hispanic advocacy group is questioning Hillary Rodham Clinton's commitment to their stance on immigration after former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer confessed he canceled driver's licenses for illegal immigrants to save her 2008 presidential campaign. Published October 30, 2015
Senate passes debt and spending hike in dead of night
Senate Republicans managed to wrangle enough of their troops to overcome a filibuster early Friday morning and pass the new budget deal, granting President Obama yet another debt holiday, busting the budget caps and boosting spending some $80 billion over the next two years. Published October 30, 2015
Paul Ryan’s ascension to speaker makes presidency unlikely
In taking the speakership, Rep. Paul Ryan may have doomed his chances of being president. Published October 29, 2015
Rand Paul begins ‘filibuster’ to try to stop debt deal
Sen. Rand Paul is making good on his threat to try to filibuster the new budget deal, taking to the Senate floor Thursday afternoon to say he'll delay the bill as long as he can to try to expose the agreement's flaws. Published October 29, 2015
John Boehner reshaped House, speakership with earmarks ban, new rules
Remember the bad old days of earmarks? Neither do nearly 200 members of the House of Representatives, who came to Congress in 2011 or later and have never served a day when they could slip pork-barrel projects into bills, siphoning taxpayers' money to well-connected constituents back home in exchange for supporting bloated bills in Washington. Published October 28, 2015
Kasich blasts opponents at start of third Republican debate
Desperate to stand out, Ohio Gov. John Kasich kicked off the third presidential debate Wednesday by ignoring the first question posed to him and instead attacking the two GOP frontrunners, saying their plans are dangerous and don't add up. Published October 28, 2015
Budget deal approved by House
With Democrats leading the way, the House passed a budget agreement Wednesday to boost spending in 2016 and 2017 and grant a debt holiday allowing for unlimited federal borrowing into the next president's term -- but not before conservatives mounted one last vote of defiance against outgoing Speaker John A. Boehner. Published October 28, 2015
U.N. warns of immigration ‘crisis’ as women flee Central America
The U.N.'s top refugee official warned Western Hemisphere governments to prepare for a new surge of illegal immigrant women fleeing Central America and parts of Mexico, where they are being terrorized by gang violence. Published October 28, 2015
Ryan to support budget deal
Rep. Paul Ryan, on the cusp of ascending to the House speaker's job, said Wednesday he'll support the new budget deal that boosts spending and grants a 17-month debt holiday because it's the only way to "wipe the slate clean" and give him a clean start. Published October 28, 2015
Budget deal: Social Security fixes give Republicans small victory
The budget deal that Republican and Democratic leaders reached this week makes the biggest changes to Social Security in decades, giving Republicans a small victory as they try to sell the agreement to skeptical advocacy groups in Washington and voters back home. Published October 27, 2015
Paul Ryan a thoughtful lawmaker but reluctant House speaker
He was supposed to be the idealist -- the brainpower behind the new GOP conservative movement rather than the legislative brawn or the crafty campaign strategist. But Rep. Paul Ryan now finds himself on the cusp of becoming speaker, the top constitutional job in the House. Published October 27, 2015
Bernie Sanders’ record in Congress shows little socialist progress
Sen. Bernard Sanders' promises of a democratic socialist revolution have enthralled liberal voters this campaign season, but the Vermont independent's legislative record shows he has had a tough time turning his progressive vision into reality. Published October 27, 2015
